Panettone ice cream (gelato al panettone)

Not made with actual panettone, but the flavours panettone is known and loved for: orange, sultanas, dates, vanilla and Marsala.

Panettone ice cream (gelato al panettone) Credit: Paola Bacchia

• makes

  1 L

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

 

Ingredients

• 375 ml (12½ fl oz/1½ cups) full-cream (whole) milk
• 100 g (3½ oz) sugar pinch of salt
• 375 ml (12½ fl oz/1½ cups) thick (double/heavy) cream
• 100 g (3½ oz) dried dates, roughly chopped
• peel from 2 medium-large oranges, white pith removed
• large pinch of saffron
• ¼ vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste)
• 5 egg yolks
• 25 g (1 oz) orange-blossom honey
• 25 g (1 oz) sultanas (golden raisins)
• 40 ml (1½ fl oz) sweet Marsala

Infusing time: 8 hours or overnight

Freezing time: 2 hours

You will need an ice-cream machine.

Instructions

Place the milk, sugar, salt, 125 ml (4 oz/½ cup) of the cream, dates, orange peel, saffron threads and vanilla bean and seeds in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Heat until warm, but do not allow the mixture to boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to infuse in the fridge for 8 hours or, preferably, overnight.

Whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl and set aside.

Place the remaining cream in a large bowl and set a large strainer over the top. Sit the bowl in an ice bath.

Strain the chilled milk and cream mixture into a saucepan and add the honey. Warm through over medium heat and stir until the honey dissolves. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Slowly pour the mixture onto the egg yolks, whisking the whole time. Scrape the mixture back into the pan over medium heat, stirring the whole time with a wooden spoon. Heat until the mixture starts to thicken and coat the back of the spoon. Pour through the strainer into the bowl of cream and stir until completely cool.

Soak the sultanas in the Marsala for at least 15 minutes.

Pour the cooled cream mixture into an ice-cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When ready, drain and roughly chop the sultanas, then fold through the churned ice cream. You can also stir through some of the remaining liquor, if you like. Freeze for about 1 hour (or 3 hours if you have stirred through the liquor) before serving.

If the ice cream has been in the freezer overnight, take it out about 10 minutes before serving.

This recipe is from Italian Street Food. (Smith Street Books). Photography by Paola Bacchia.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.